"Biografie,history Hugo Verboven"

Hugo Verboven biography

Hugo Verboven was born on september 5, 1946, in Lommel (Belgium).
Early in his childhood, he was already showing an attraction for painting.
At seven his school teachers and parents noticed his budding talent. Two
years later he had private lessons with Father Urbain in Herentals. From 1975 on, he devoted
himself exclusively to his art. After twenty years, he has had many exhibitions
and was awarded several prizes.

The man:

Hugo Verboven has a special talent : he never regrets the things
he has done while he is yearning for what has not been done yet. One lifetime
does not seem enough to fulfill his cravings and try all possible expressions.
He calls himself a portrait painter. This is his actual profession and
few artists live of their trade, whereas Hugo does. He loved drawing and
painting as a child and while he was in a catholic boarding school, a father
gave him lessons. In 1970, he started his apprenticeship in Eksel (Belgium)
with the painter Camerlinckx who was his master for five years after which
Hugo was launched on his career as a professional painter. His life changed
completely. "I used to be an employee but when I stopped, he says, security
vanished and I had to find a new life style. Rough times were there and
even today, the uncertainty is still present. I never know if people will
show up and will understand my painting."

Hugo makes a difference between nice paintings and good paintings.
"Being an artist, he says, takes more than adopting a certain way of life.
He needs knowledge and insight. Most importantly for a painter are ideas
and seeing things to which others are blind. It is not all. He needs the
skill to bring his ideas to paper; he ought to be able to be absolutely
faithful to his intentions. Failing in this, his pictures will miss a depth
even where his shortcomings are blurred by words." Hugo loves his art and
shows great attraction for his customers. In his studio, he treats his
guests to a relaxed reception and makes time explaining how he creates
a picture with what ideas in the background.

Hugo Verboven is not only
an artist, but also a pleasant host who admits : "Finally, I do paint for
my own pleasure." It hurts a little when a painting leaves the studio but
it is also comforting to know where these pictures go because "all those
who purchase my pictures become my friends." His vision has hardly changed
over the years; motivations are the same, concepts remain unchanged. Only
his technical skill evolved and ripened since his years with his master
Camerlinckx. Restlessness is unknown to this strange bohemian endowed with
a persisting smile. Being dissatisfied is his only worry for does anyone
ever achieve perfection? He is a traditionalist. He does not look for broadening
nor superfluous innovations. In fact, he holds with the French poet Paul
Valery that his whole lifelong the true poet may rehearse everything over
and over again on a single theme.